Die (brand) Suggestions for 38/357

[Falloutboy89]

I'm looking to add 38/357 to my Dillon 650. I've only ever used Dillon dies so far (9mm, .40, .45). Dillon's dies are backordered obviously.

 

Let me know what other brands you suggest and what you think I should stay away from. Appreciate it!

[ltdmstr]

I've used Redding dies on everything for prob 20+ years.  Good quality and zero issues with any of them.

[Steve RA]

I use Lee and have not had any problems with them.

[Modoc]

I have several sets of Dillon (old and newer), RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, and Ideal.  All will do a good job, I would go with a Carbide set from any of the above except the Ideal.  They are a special die for the old nut cracker style hand tool.  In this climate whatever you can find at a reasonable price will do the job.  If you get used dies, look for scoring and cracks in the body and Carbide inserts, straightness in the arbors and of course thread damage.

[RudyVey]

I use Dillon dies for 38 spl and Lee dies for 357 mag. Both do a good job (at least for me...). The only reason I use Lee is that I used to have a Lee turret press and had dies for 45 acp, 9 and 38/357.

[AHI]

Redding has a die set for a progressive press. 

[MuayThaiJJ]

Lee for me, gets the job done

[S&W686]

Same here.  I have been using Lee dies for years and they have worked very well for me.

[Falloutboy89]

I found some Lee dies in stock and grabbed 'em. Appreciate all the feedback. 

[ysrracer]

Has anyone mentioned Lee dies yet? I use Lee.

[verla]

Hornady dies for 6mm creedmoor works well for me. Lee carbide factory crimp die for 38/357 ammo used in a revolver.

[Sinister4]

Lee here as well, FCD is really nice, I use a redding seater die as well

[Tom S.]

Dies are dies. They all do the same thing though some have added bells and whistles. The .38/.357 is a straight wall case and requires very little so there's nothing wrong going cheap or even buying used. Make certain whatever you buy has a carbide sizer and if buying used, make sure the carbide isn't cracked (rare but it can happen). Also, consider buying two sets as changing from one to another, 38 to 357 and back to 38 again, is a pita. Buy two sets, a tool head for each and enjoy the simple life.

[ysrracer]

Bruce LEE for the win

[Ryan67]

Definitely Lee. I prefer them for ease of oal adjustment and the factory crimp die makes it so I have no hangups and pass the gauge every time. 

[LabGuy]

For the good, bad, or ugly,  my order of preference is, Redding, RCBS, Lyman, Lee.  However, I might switch RCBS and Lyman, because of the M die.

[NuJudge]

What kind of ammo do you want to load, and for what purpose?  If you are going to load soft Lead bullets, there is a problem with the bullets swaging down smaller if you use a sizer that produces a case ID much smaller than the bullet, and you don't expand it out to bullet diameter.  For such bullets, especially swaged Lead hollow-base bullets, you may want to get a special order full length sizer that produces a larger OD than usual, aiming for a larger ID, and the the only people that make such is Lee.  

 

If I am shooting my own really hard cast bullets, or shooting jacketed, I don't worry about bullets being reduced in diameter by tight case ID, and I would like a undersize size die to make set back impossible.  The only people that make those are Lee.  

 

If you are using cast or swaged Lead bullets with external lubrication, the lube may build up in your seating die, and such build-up will usually result in bullets being seated deeper, meaning you will have to disassemble for cleaning frequently.  With all but one brand of seating die, when you disassemble for cleaning, you lose adjustment.  The one brand of die where you do not lose adjustment is Dillon.  

 

There are some accessory makers.  Photoescape makes some neat accessories for progressive presses.  I am using his powder transfer unit to expand .32 S&W for HBWC and dump powder on a 650.  

https://www.photoescapeinc.com/products/index.html  

UniqueTek makes lots of accessories for different progressive presses and different dies.  One of the things I really like is the SWC bullet seat stem he makes for SWC bullets that fits Dillon seat dies

https://uniquetek.com/product/T1561

[78Staff]

I have the Dillon set, but have moved my 38spl workflow to the 1050, but want to keep loading 357Mag on the 550 since it is much lower volume... so will likely pick up a set of Lee dies to use on the 550 so I can leave the 1050 toolhead configured...